Process of briqueting coal.



' as chea 1y as possible, and

tained at various leum.

CHARLES E.

PATENT OFFltCE.

HITE, OF BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF BRIQUETING COAL.

No Drawing To all whom it may concern:

I Be it known that I, Qtuunns E. llI'H-l, a citizen of the United States, residing at specification of Letters Patent.

ulleation filed March 26, 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

Serial No. 435,901.

posed to the air, and seem to alt in a measure like the fixed OllS.

It is also the object of my invention to Burlington, in the county of Burlington and 3 make a briqnet which will stand a drop of State of New Jersey; have invented a new and useful Process of Briqueting Coal, ot which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved process of forming a binder for the hriqueting of fine coal.

The object of my invention is the production of a binder, for binding or cementing under pressure, fine particles of coal mm a compact body.

The commercial conditions attendin r the manufacture of a good briqueted Goa, ar such that it is necessary to produce a binder that the binder e composed of materials easily ob localities throughout the country. The binder should be made of 1r 1- terials which will add to, or atleast, not detract from, the coals neat value. The ma terials used in the binder should be of such a nature that they will not add materially to the percentage ofosh formed after combustion. These conditions led me to investigate oils, some of which absorb oxygen read- ,ly on exposure to the atmosphere, IllSO the fatty acids, and crude petroleum. The problem was how to distribute a m m amount of an oil, a fatty acid or crude petroleum over a given quanl ity of line or pulverizcd (foal. This I have successfully accomplished by making an emulsion, using a flour paste as the cnmlsifying medium or emulsifier for the oil, fatty acids or petrolVhen the emulsion is formed, the Hour which contains glutinousormnylnoeous matter, having been mixed with water and should snhii-ete l to heat until thoroughly cooked,

Which is indicated by the bursting of the starch eranulei-i, and to which has h a d d the oil. fatty acid. or p tmlonm, forms a simple, ellivient. inexpensive medium for the distribution of the materials over a large area of line coal. The liXed oils on ex )osure to the ntmosplnerc, become oxidized, and with the glutinous and amylaeeous substances in the paste form an excellent waterproof hinder. when the same has been inrorporated with the coal and briquetcd. Just wind change occurs with the fatty acids and crude petro eum, when emulsified and used for hriquetiu'g coal, has not been determined, but they become very hard when exl l l our or six feet without breaking, immedL ately after leaving the press, and which can in handled or shipped in a day or two after being made, with but small breakage occurring. I

My ob ect also is to make a bi'iquet that will not disintegrate or crumble to pieces when completely immersed or submerged in water for several days, and which will get harder or firmer the longer it stands, without being softened or disintegrated by the weather changes, moisture or rain.

These various objects I have attained in practice by means of an oil emulsion at a cost which is not prohibitory to the commercial success of my binder, and process.

lhe method or process together with the binder, is as follows: Slack, screenings, fine culm or coal pulverized by machinery, is first subjected to a heat of from 150 to 200 ('cntigrado for about fifteen minutes; (this does not mean however that the entire mass is brought to the temperature mentioned) the object of this being to drive off a certain percentage of the moisture present in the coal, also to soften the particles of coal, eausin them to compress closer together in the briquet ma him: than would otherwise occur were the coal not heated. It also allows the binder to enter the coal which previously contained moisture, thuspreventing \vater'from aga in entering the particles and causing the binder to lose its hold. After the coal has been so eated, there is run into it, a binder that has bccli previously repared, which, as an example, consists of the following ingredients and proportions necessary for the hriqueting of one ton of culm or pulverized coal. It is understood that the proportions may he changed to suit the nature and kind of coal to be briipleted. Also the kind of oils, oily matter or oleagi nous material used may he so varied in kind or quatitity.

To 390 pounds of water are added 25 ounds of fiouror other glutinous, or amyliieeous substance and made into a paste of thepropcr consistency by cooking in a water jacketed kettle, stirring slowly. lVhen the aste is nearly done, four or five pounds of e um, aluminum sulfate, calcium chlorid, formaldehyde, or other preservative are added and thoroughly mixed in the paste. This prevents the paste from losing its efficiency. After this is done, about one gallon of liltseed oil or other fixed oil is added to thb paste preferably while still hot, and stirred slowly; under these conditions the oil is thoroughly emulsified, forming an emulsion. Continue stirring slowly until cool and all steam has been freed from the paste. lien the emulsion is exposed to the air and sets or hardens, it will practically resist the action of water. After this emulsion has been added to the coal, the mass is thoroughly mixed in a mechanical mixer, and formed into briquets by a suitable machine.

By means of an oil emulsion, a small quantity of oil is distributed over far more surface than could be HCCOlIllJllSllQt'l in any other manner, and after the briquets have stood for several days, the water having largely evaporated, and when a fixed oil is employed, the oil is oxidized, which together with the tour paste cements the particles of coal into a very dense hard mass, that has enough elasticity to prevent the briquets trom becoming too brittle or too easily broken.

As linseed oil is largely composed of the glycerids of isolinolenie, linolenic, linolic,

oleic', stearic, palmitic and myristic acids, in certain kinds of coal, oleic, stearic, palinic or other fatty acids may be substituted for the linseed or other fixed' oil; the result be ing practically the same in forming an emulsion, which could not be formed with water alone.

What I claim is 1. The process of making an emulsion binder, which consists in mixing with water a glutinous or amylaceous substance such as flour, heating -the same until the starch granules have burst, adding thereto a suitable quantity of oil and agitating the mixture, thereby forming an emulsion.

2. The rocess of. makin an emulsion binder, which consists in mixing with water aglutinous or amylaceous substance such as flour, heating the same until the starch granules have burst, adding thereto a suitable quantity of fixed oil such as linseed oil, or fatty acids, or crude petroleum, stirrin the mixture until an emulsion is forme and adding thereto a suitablepaste preservative.

3. The process of using flour paste as the emulsifying medium, or emulsifier, for forming emulsions of oils, fatty acids or the crude petroleum.

4. The process of briqueting pulverized or fine coal by mixing therewitha binder in the form of an oil emulsion, composed of flour paste and oil, fatty acids or crude petroleum, and subjecting the mixture to pressure.

5;. The process of briqueting fine coal, which consists in mixing the same with an oil emulsion binder, composed of flour paste and linseed oil or other fixed oil, to which is added calcium chlorid or other suitable preservative, and submitting the mixture to pressure.

6. The process of briqueting fine coal by mixing the same with a binder, composed of flour paste and ethereal salts, in the formation of which glycerin as the alcohol, and acids such as palmitic stearic and oleic acids, take part, formin with the flour paste an oily emulsion, to w able preservative and submitting the same to pressure. p

7. The process of"briqueting-pulverized or fine coahwhich consists in firstheating the coal then mixing therewith a binder in the form of an oil emulsion, composed of flour paste, an oil, fatt acids, or crude petroleum, to which has been added a suitable preservative, and subjecting the mixture to pressure.

CHARLES E. HITE. Witnesses:

MAE HOIMANN, HOWARD S. OKm.

ich may be added a suita 

